Thirteen Blessings This Week

Sometimes we have to stop and think of the blessings we have in this life and some of the best blessings are the simple things. It has been a very vexing few weeks for me with a combination of different trying situations. One of these is that my 91 year old grandmother is in hospice at home with a combination of the three often fatal illnesses of CO PD, heart failure and stomach cancer.  The other things are more minor issues it's just that so many little things together can be overwhelming.  Even in the middle of crisis we look for His voice and find it and these are thirteen blessings I have been grateful for this week.

1.  Technology has truly blessed me this week as I have gone to different appointments and was able to get in and out relatively quickly in half an hour or less.  This was due to offices making efficient use of computers and new time saving strategies for themselves as well as clients.  How well I remember doctor's offices and government offices back in the 1990's having full waiting rooms of frustrated clients waiting for two hours and more. I actually don't have to go to many appointments hardly ever anymore as I can take care of more and more business online.

2.  My aunt who was visiting from another state gave me a bottle of very nice scented lotion just hours after I realized I was out and would have to hunt down some more.  It was not a coincidence it was a small moment of realizing God's provision. How many times do things like this happen and we barely blink or take notice because we get lots of blessing like that?

3.  My brothers flew in from two different states and I was able to help meet them at the Nashville airport within an hour and a half of each other. This blessing was also due to the technology as well as airports becoming so much more time efficient.  The layout of the airport, the parking was much more pleasantly convenient then I remembered it being from 15 years ago.
4.  I got to see my brothers! One of them I hadn't seen in 3 years.

5.  My aunt from out of state tirelessly cleaned up at my parent's and grandmother's house. She also contributed by shopping for supplies and food for large gatherings of family coming in and out.
6.  My grandmother remained so sweet of spirit even as she is ill and never showed any irritation or uttered one sharp word to anyone. This can be very unusual of people who don't feel well.
7.  The hospice organization sends people in to help my grandmother shower five days a week. This relieves family members who are not experienced caregivers or who are elderly themselves from having to do that.  Also my grandmother can rest better being fresh and clean.
8.  I was blessed by the family augments that didn't happen as people tried to co operate and make the best of the situation even in the middle of tiredness and stress.
9.  I was blessed that the family members from out of state took the time to visit my grandmother while she is still alive.  Try not to wait for funerals to go home and if a choice has to be made for one or the other I would say skip the funeral and visit with people while they are alive.

10.  The electricity went out in my town unexpectedly around midnight one night.  I don't know what happened but thanks again to Technology for helping getting it back on in about 50 minutes. This also reminded me to be glad I was born in a time people are lucky to have electricity.
11.  I got to talk to the big child by phone almost everyday, sometimes for more then an hour.
12.  I was blessed by friends and family who encourage each other on social media. People I know are busy worshiping the Lord, going on diets, exercising, thinking outside the box, having wedding and graduation celebrations, birthday parties, and helping others.
13.  The weather this past week was startlingly beautiful with temperatures in the the low 80's, big puffy clouds in a blue sky, summer flowers starting to bloom. It was perfect backdrop for the down to earth, hard working people in Kentucky.